Kevin J. Bozic, MD, MBA, Chair, AJRR Steering Committee said, “AJRR has been able to move forward with analysis of new data elements and data sources this year. New Annual Report sections include an overview of data completeness, patient-reported outcome measures, and implant survivorship curves. We believe these data will prove valuable to orthopaedic surgeons, hospitals, device manufacturers, payors, and most importantly patients as we seek to improve outcomes for hip and knee arthroplasty patients.” The 2018 AJRR Annual Report includes updates on key initiatives delivered to registry stakeholders:

developed the International Society of Arthroplasty Registries' (ISAR) International Prostheses Library to serve as a source of medical device information and safety alerts for industry partners and ISAR member organizations worldwide;

an increase in published, peer-reviewed research that demonstrate the value of Registry data and its analysis.

More robust data capture specifications enhance the quality and types of data included in the AJRR, including surgical approach, procedure duration, use of computer navigation and robotic assisted surgery, and length of hospital stay. Enhanced data specifications also enable the registry to track surgical complications, as well as risk-adjust data for reporting purposes going forward, to include patient comorbidities, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification, and discharge disposition.

Terence J. Gioe, MD, AJRR Annual Report editor said, “This year’s Annual Report foreshadows the registry’s transition to analytic capabilities that were simply not possible before. Access to over one million Medicare patient records, new data specifications that will support risk-adjusted analysis, and emphasis on data completeness will contribute to future arthroplasty research and findings that may prove or dispel commonly held arthroplasty performance impressions from the past.”